Loose-leaf binder.



J. V. WASHBURNE.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.6, 1913.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

ATTORNEY.

.mmns vywnsmannnn, or FULTON, NEW YORK.

' LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. as, 1914.

Application filed February 5, 1913. Serial No. 746,409.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES V. WASHBURNE, of Fulton, in the county of Oswego, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders,

of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description. This invention relates to certain improvements in loose leaf binders adapted to be used for temporarily or permanently bind ing loose sheets which have been previously perforated near one edge for receiving the tongues of one of the binding members.

The main object is to provide an extensible two-piece tongue binder in which one member interlocks with and conceals the ends of the tongues of the other member so that both members, including the tongues,

lie fiat against opposite faces of the outerposed member in such manner that the ends 7 binder taken on line 22, Fig.

of the tongues will be concealed by the main body of the slotted member.

A further object is to enable the binding members to be easily and quickly adjuste so as to bind and hold the sheets firmly one upon the other and also permitting similar sheets to be readily added to or withdrawn from the binder as may be required.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a series of leaves shown as bound together by my improved binder. Fig; 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same 1, showing the leaves in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of both parts of the binder showing the manner of interlocking them at one end after the tongues have been inserted through the apertures in the leaves preparatory to final adjustment for binding such leaves together. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of'the slotted binding member. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the same binder as adjusted for use. Fig.

6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through one end of the slotted member and adjacent end of the tongue of the other member interlocked therewith taken on line 6-6, Fig. 1, showing one form of detent for holding said members in interlocking engagement. Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to- Fig. 6 showing a slightly modified form of detent.

This binder comprises a pair of opposed, comparatively thin, sheet metal plates or bars -1- an 2-, one of which, as the bar 1, constitutes what may be termed a base (plate and is substantially flat and provide with a pair of End tongues or bendable arms -3 whic are normally bent at substantially ri ht angles to the main body and adapte to pass through corresponding apertures, as a, near one edge of the sheets as -A which are to be bound as shownmore clearly in Figs. '1 and 2. The plate or bar -2- is also substantially flat and provided with end slots 4 and 5- spaced apart a distance less than the space between the tongues 3 at their junctions with the main body of the plate -1-, one of the slots, as 4, being preferably formed wholly within the marginal edges of the plate -2, while the slot -5- preferably extends laterally through one of the longitudinal edges of said plate. The tongues 3- may be of any desired length accordingto the num- 4 her of sheets which is desired to be bound but of less width than the main body of the plate 1 and integrally united to the centers of the ends thereof, the entire plate or bar 1 being preferably made ofsoft brass or equivalent easily bendable material although the main body is preferably reinforced by lengthwise stiffening ribs 6- pressed up therefrom near the longitudinal edges. The slot 4 is of substantially the same size as the cross .sectional area of the tongue 3 which itis adapted to receive, sufficient clearance being left to allow the plate -2- to slide freely on its tongue. The slot 5 is of substantially the same width lengthwise of the bar 2 as the thickness of the other tongue 3 which it is adapted to receive but, owing to the fact that this slot-'5 extends through one ofthe longitudinal edges of the bar and that this bar Q- is of greater width than the tongues, it forms a lip -7 at the outer end of the slot 5 capable shown in Fig. 6 for the purpose of enga,

ing one of theedges of the adjacent tongues and frictionally holding the binding members in operativeposition, thereby serving i purpose similar to that of the overturned In assembling the binder upon the sheets, which are previously perforated near one edge a distance apart corresponding to the space'between the tongues -3 when bent at right angles to the main body of the plate, said tongues are inserted through the apertures from one side of the stacked sheets after which the plate 2-- is placed in operative position upon one of the tongues 3 and then both tongues are bent inwardly and downwardly toward each other upon the opposite side of the stacked sheets after which the plate 2, which has been previously interlocked with the adjacent tongue 3 is carried forwardly toward the other tongue, thereby facilitating the bending of the adjacent tongue flatwise against the upper side of the sheets and, as

- soon' as the plate 2 is brought flatwise against the adjacent sheet, its lip 7 is slipped under one edge and beyond the opposite edge of the opposite tongue 3, thereby firmly locking the two binding members to each other and causing the main body of the plate 2 to conceal the ends of thetongue 3 as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2.

hen the binding members are assembled in the manner just described, the end of the lip 7 may be bent over and upon the opposite side ofthe adjacent tongue 3 to prevent lateral displacement of the plate 2- or when'the lip is provided with the raised projection 7-, the latter serving the same purpose in preventing the displacement of the member 2 from interlocking engagement with the member 1. v It will be observed that the binding member '2 is of substantially the same length as the main body of the plate 1 or as the distance between the tongues -3 when the latter are bent at right angles to said main body.

What I claim is:

1. A. loose leaf binder comprising cooperative flat sheet metal plates, one of said plates having end tongues adapted to be passed through apertures in the leaves and overturned upon the outermost leaf, the other plate having one end interlocked with one of the tongues and its other end provided with a lip inserted under the other tongue, the main body of the latter plate covering the ends of both tongues.

A lo'ose leaf binder comprising a pair of substantially flat sheet metal plates, one of the plates having vend tongues adapted to pass through apertures in the leaves, the other plate having one end interlocked with one of the tongues and its other end provided with an open sided slot for receiving the other tongue and slidably interlocked therewith by lateral movement, the ends of the tongues being covered by the main body of the second named plate when adjusted for use,

3. A- loose leaf binder comprising cooperative flat sheet metal plates, one of said plates having end tongues adapted to be passed through apertures in the leaves and overturned upon the outermost leaf, the other plate having one end interlocked with one of the tongues and its other end provided with a lip inserted under the other tongue, the main body of the latter plate covering the ends of both tongues, and means tending to hold said lip in operative position. v

4. A loose leaf binder comprising cooperative fiat sheet metal p1ates, one of said plates having end tongues adapted to be passed through apertures in the leaves and overturned upon the outermost leaf, the

other plate having one end interlocked with one-of the tonguesandits other end provided witha lip inserted under the other tongue, the main body of the latter plate covering the ends of both tongues, said lip adapted to be return bent against the adjacent tongue to prevent disengagement of said lip and tongue.

5. A loose leaf binder comprising (:0- operative sheet metal plates, one of said plates having end tongues and the other plate having one end adapted to be interlocked with one of the tongues and its other end provided with an open-sided slot forming a lip adapted to be inserted under the other tongue, said tongue having a lateralsliding engagement in said slot.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 3rd day of February, 1913.

JAMES V. lVASHBUR-NE. Witnesses:

E. A. THOMPSON,

Eva E. GREENLEAF. 

